If the prospect of chomping down badly cooked turkey at the in-laws' this Christmas still isn't enough to drive you bats, perhaps this spook-tacular new event will give you plenty of thrills and chills in the New Year.

From 18th-20th January 2013 a brand new scarefest – the Horror-on-Sea Film Festival – will turn the popular tourist destination into Southend-on-Scream.

The event is being brought to life by The White Bus, the team behind the Southend-on-Sea Film Festival, and will be based at the Park Inn Palace Hotel at the top of Pier Hill. Horror-on-Sea will feature new independent horror films from across the UK and around the globe, including Italy, South Korea, Canada, the UAE and, appropriately, Romania. Many of the film makers and actors will be travelling to Essex to showcase their work alongside classics of the horror and gore genre.

There are plenty of other delights for fright night freaks. Acclaimed, Leigh-on-Sea based film maker Pat Higgins (Trash House) is hosting a talk called Werewolves, Cheerleaders and Chainsaws: Filming with no Bloody Money! – and it promises to be a masterclass for future Wes Cravens and John Carpenters looking to direct their own horror films. If, like one of George A. Romero's ravenous zombies, you're still hungry for more, cult film connoisseur Darrell Buxton will be giving a talk on the elusive cult director/producer/writer Michael J. Murphy. He'll be joined by regular horror actor Stephen Longhurst to pick over the bones of low budget movie making.

Horror-on-Sea is the brainchild of Paul Cotgrove, Director of The White Bus. He says:

"I am a huge horror movie fan and for years I have wanted to put together an event for fellow fans of the genre. Box office returns and video sales prove people continue to love scary movies and as we've had four really successful years with the Southend Film Festival, here and now seemed the right time and place to do this. I am delighted we've got a huge variety of international movies screening during Horror-on-Sea – it is really is the best of the world's best - so there genuinely is something for everyone. I am sure this is going to be a really popular event."

The line-up is as follows.

Friday 18th January

Saint Dracula (Rupesh Paul / 2012 / UAE / 2h)
The tragic Prince of Wallachia waits in hunger and thirst for his long lost love

Fear Eats the Seoul (Nick Calder / 2011 / South Korea / 1h 48m)
The capital of South Korea is ravaged by a demonic epidemic

Slasher House (Mj Dixon / 2012 / UK / 1h 29m)
Awakening in a cell in an abandoned madhouse, a girl is trapped with several serial killers
+ SatanV (Richard Elson / 2011 / UK / 5m)
A satnav turns a weekend in the countryside into the weekend from hell

Sunday 20th January

Haunted (Steven M. Smith / 2012 / UK / 2h)
Six unwitting contestants win the chance to take part in a live paranormal investigation

ZK3 (Michael J. Murphy / 2012 / UK-Greece / 1h 16m)
In the prolific director’s latest, a journalist enters a nightmare when she interviews a famous author
+ The Urge (Brian Barnes / 2012 / UK / 8m)
Can you control your addictions, or do they control you?

Tickets cost just £5 per film, but a Weekend Pass – that gets you into everything – offers unbeatable value deal at just £50. For those who want to have a frightfully nice hotel break, the Park Inn Palace Hotel is offering special Festival rates: £60 for one night's Bed & Breakfast or £120 for three nights (single or double).